How Do You Subtract a Man From 'Two and a Half Men'? The Charlie Sheen Debate

By Jo Piazza Posted Apr 2nd 2010 01:45PM

Word on the street is that Charlie Sheen doesn't want to play his onscreen alter ego Charlie Harper on 'Two and a Half Men' any longer, even though it banks him huge bucks.

PopEater's Naughty But Nice Columnist Rob Shuter reports that CBS is already on the lookout for a replacement for Sheen.

So what does this mean for the tremendously popular series? Can the show survive a Charlie exit?

Sometimes leading characters leave shows. It can happen for any number of reasons, and surely no one would blame Sheen for wanting to take some time off, given his personal drama as of late.

"It's understandable that Charlie would want out. Who knows how long 'Celebrity Rehab' is gonna be on the air? He's gotta get on that show before it's over," says Ronnie Karam, Senior Editor of TvGasm.com. "If we as a country would just let our celebs live in private, they wouldn't feel the need to quit multi-million jobs to hide from our prying eyes. Can't a man get wasted and hold a knife to his wife's throat in private? We should all be ashamed of ourselves."

Sheen was arrested in Aspen on Christmas after he allegedly assaulted his wife. (Reports suggest a knife was involved.) The actor has been charged with misdemeanor assault and felony menacing.

The problem with Sheen's exit from 'Men' is that he truly does carry that show, much as Hugh Laurie carries 'House' and Kiefer Sutherland carries '24.'

'Men' isn't an ensemble like 'The Office' or '30 Rock.' Jon Cryer is at his best when he's playing the straight man to Sheen's bad boy -- and not to be harsh about it, but Angus T. Jones sinks deeper into his awkward stage with each season.

"They can't recast him, that's for sure. I don't think the whole 'two Darrens' [a la 'Bewitched'] would work on 'Two and a Half Men.' No two STDs are created equal. You can change a man's face, but you can't change his herpes. The audience won't stand for it! If Charlie leaves, the show is over," Karam says. "Unless the kid becomes the bad boy, which America might just find hilarious, but 'One and a Half Men' sounds like a dude with a little person fetish and 'Two Men' sounds like one long, gay argument."

But some folks argue that the popularity of 'Two and a Half Men' mandates that it remain on the air.

"They should not call it quits and leave so many people bereft of this great American institution," says television writer and comedienne Caroline Waxler. "I think they should take a page from Aaron Spelling's playbook and bring in Heather Locklear. Not only can she play the hot lead, but she'll bring in the lesbian angle. I know doing a lesbian stunt is a hard sell to TV execs, but they should make an exception just this once!"

There is a certain irony to Sheen's being replaced since Sheen was the television replacement for the beloved Michael J. Fox on 'Spin City' before the fast and steep decline of the series. Sheen's character on 'Men' works so well because Sheen essentially plays himself. Therefore any replacement would have to be equally as bad as Charlie is in real life, which makes this a particularly tough casting call. All the good drunks in Hollywood have hit rehab. There genuinely isn't anyone like Charlie left.

With Charlie so goes the show. Let's hope the network doesn't struggle to keep the show alive with a weak replacement and an even weaker story line about Charlie Harper being sent out to pasture.

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Tags: charlie sheen, hugh laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, michael j. fox, two and a half men

Comments

(73)

Friday 02 April

By Timmah

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Heather Locklear was already on the show...she played Alan's divorce lawyer, who slept with Charlie, and then, when spurned by him, gave Alan's wife everything.

By Don Pandanell

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To the people here that "love" Sheen. Remember that Sheen and his father both have stated that the United States Government blew up the twin towers in New York. If you agree with their statement then you gotta love the Screwball Sheens.

By Joe

Anybody can be replaced, just don't look for a identical actor. You just need another funny guy. Scrap the drunken stud stuff and go for funny. And get rid of Charlie Harper real good. Maybe an infected penis augmentation.

By Lynne

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Two and a Half Men is by far the funniest show on television. If Charlie Sheen leaves- there's no show. HE is the show. I really hope he reconsiders his decision because I look forward to a good laugh every Monday night. I love this show so much that I DVR all the reruns so I would be upset if he leaves but I understand that the most important thing for him to do right now is to work on his addiction and getting his family back.

By malsdoxy

big bang theory is the funniest show on TV

Saturday 03 April

By carmen chacon

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I totally agree with you. Charlie is the show. The show should be cancelled if he walks out. A replacement will never work!
Can you imagine a sequel of Seinfeld without Jerry?

Friday 16 April

By VINNY

I AGREE. Charlie and his dad Martin have brought many years of great happiness to me for years.I don't think he is repalaceable.

By Rosie

I love Charlies character. He's such a loveable rake! I would hate to see the series end. I personally think Roberta is a riot. The rest of the cast deserves this series to survive Charlie's personal life. I hope it does. But if it doesn't another good show bites the dust. Se la vive

By Monica Lande

Yes, I agree with you. Charlie is funny.........very funny show...Even my mother loves it! But as you said, there will be other shows

By Kay

Of course the show can survive. His brother on the show is the one who keeps getting awards.

By GUENTHER

i like charley and his personel life is none of my business

By Rick

If he could keep a limited role at first and do cameos from thereon the show could survive. The other characters have enough talent to keep things going. Maybe add a long lost disfunctional family member to take over?

By Malsdoxy

it will be simple to keep the 'two' in two-and-a-half men...evelyn had a child out of wedlock, can't say we'd be surprised!!! the secret would be who to cast and would he be a rogue like charlie or not...hmmmmmmmmmm

By lori

Evelyn having a child out of wedlock that no one knew about, would maybe work. charlie is again in danger of losing the house (the Charlie Waffles stint ran its course) and mystery step bro steps in to buy the house, charlie, finally gets married and moves out and the "new step-bro" and alan pick on each other pretty much the same way, only now Alan is jealous of the "new" brother and hopes he'll still be allowed to live there. both still hate their mother. see anyone can write this stuff!!!!

By Diane

Charlie can leave and the show would survive nicely as long as they get somebody just as funny WITHOUT trying to replicate charlie. Alan is the really funny one and the son too. When you get down to it, Charlie is the set up man.....I'm tired of actors who think they can do what they want because the 'show won't survive' without them. EVERYONE is replacable.

By Kare

Not necessarily Diane.While I hate the egos of some actors too, I think in this case, the show while funny with all 3, is mostly great because of Sheen's character and his take on it.
Would ot be the same without him.
If HE needs to leave then he has to--I didn't hear that he thinks he's the only one that matters but that he wants to leave.
I cannot imagine the show with another Charley or with just Allan and son.

By bigred7

That is a great group, but Charlie needs to stay.

By mikemaj82

if he leaves, forget about the show...his career will be over.

By Kelly

HE could take a year off to fix things then return from a year long vacation to get over Chelsea. Allan and the rest of the cast would look after Charlies Malibu beach house....

By Susan

I agree. Let him take a hiatus of a year or whatever but, keep the show on. Alan, the kid, the mother and housekeeper are all great. I think they should be able to write for them WITHOUT Charlie. Oh, and if Charlie really does leave? Just look at David Caruso. He was gonna be a big man and left after the 1st year of NYPD Blue and make movies. Took him years before he was successful again, and where was that? TV! Charlie's already done the movie thing with Wall Street being the truely only good movie. That movie was still more of a Michael Douglas vehicle. So Charle had to do TV in order to continue acting.

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